Deep Science Ventures (DSV), a London-based venture creator, is teaming up with AbbVie, a global pharmaceutical company, to build one or more new companies targeting immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.
Together, the partners said they aim to unlock new approaches that not only make disease treatment better, but also present potential cures for patients.
Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases encompass a wide array of conditions affecting quality of life for up to 5% of the population, yet there is a lack of curative treatments. Ideal treatments would allow disease elimination through resolution of the underlying immunological mechanism, and restoration of the correct balance within the immune system (immune homeostasis). Today’s drugs offer (often temporary) disease suppression and sustained drug-free remission in patients remains rare. Transformative new therapies are required.
Statement of intent bewteen Deep Science Ventures and Abbvie
Laura Fletcher, head of business development and strategic partnerships, pharma, at Deep Science Ventures said: “With this partnership, we welcome our first corporate pharma venture partner. It is a statement of intent that represents our commitment to developing commercially-ambitious, transformative curative therapies. AbbVie are the partner of choice within immunology due to their deep disease area expertise and track record as one of the leading pharma companies in external innovation.”
Members of Deep Science Ventures and AbbVie will work to identify the areas of unmet need that will most benefit from DSV’s approach. For each selected area, DSV will recruit a founding analyst to lead further development and work with DSV and AbbVie to design new therapeutic approaches.
Approaches meeting the parties’ investment criteria will be spun out into new companies and both Deep Science Ventures and AbbVie will have the opportunity to provide pre-seed capital to the new companies at launch.
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